1. Technical Field
The present disclosure is related to support devices and composite materials, and more particularly, to a collapsible support device for use with computers, books, displays or the like, and to a composite material for making the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Individuals have increasingly mobile lifestyles with respect to both work and social activities. As a result, many work and social activities are conducted on the go in cars, airplanes, airports, or any other location. This trend has resulted in a rise in mobile devices such as laptop computers, electronic books, portable DVD players with displays, portable televisions, video projectors, etc. Even when individuals are not traveling, they often use mobile devices to be able to move around within an office or home and/or simultaneously tend to other tasks while using the device, or to take the device with them when they are done using the device to continue their work or other activity on the mobile device in a different location.
However, since mobile devices are designed to be compact, they are typically not ergonomic. For example, laptop computers generally rest flat on a surface, resulting in an unergonomic positioning of a user's arms and wrists when typing, which can lead to pain and in some cases long term ailments such as tendonitis. Furthermore, portable DVD players have displays or screens that are difficult to be optimally positioned or pivoted with respect to the base of the player in some situations, such as when positioned on an airplane food tray. For instance, pivoting the display to a desired position may be obstructed by the seat in front of the user. In addition, the user may want to read electronic or traditional books while using his or her hands for another task. These items too typically rest flat on a surface, which can result in an awkward angle from the reader's perspective, making reading difficult.
Past solutions include support devices that alter the positioning of mobile devices on a surface; however, these solutions are not mobile themselves, they are bulky, heavy and awkward for storage and/or use, prone to being damaged when transported, and/or not sufficiently compactable to eliminate the need for storing and transporting them separately from the mobile device.
For example, some solutions include integrating a raising structure on devices such as computer laptop computers. However, these devices are prone to damage and can only be used with the particular device with which they are integrated. Other solutions include removable stands that are customized for a particular device, such as laptop computers and video projectors. However, these devices are also limited in use with only the particular device for which they are customized. In addition, these devices are typically not easily mobile or storable after they are assembled. Other attempts at more universal stands are still bulky and have awkward shapes, which inhibit storage and easy transport of these stands.
Furthermore, support devices that incorporate some form of compacting feature do not facilitate substantially reducing the size of the device so that it can be transported in a single compact casing with the mobile device. These support devices are therefore typically space-consuming even in the allegedly compact form. Additionally, the same features that make these devices transform from the supporting configuration to a smaller configuration, are susceptible to damage during the transformation process or while being transported.